All Spain, excepting the confining provinces in the side of France, and especially the provinces where are the great commercial ports, such as Cadiz, Malaga,[27] Corunna, &c., have laid before the Cortes and Government the most energetic memorials and remonstrances against the prohibition system of tariffs in force, and ask why they, who, in favour of their own industry and products, never asked for prohibitions, are to be sacrificed to Catalonia and Biscay?  The Spanish Government and the most distinguished public men are well known to be favourable, to be anxiously meditating, an enlightened change of system, and negotiations are progressing prosperously, or would progress, but for France.  When will France learn to imitate the generous policy which announced to her on the conclusion of peace with China—­We have stipulated no conditions for ourselves from which we desire to exclude you or other nations?

[27] See Exposicion de que dirige a las Cortes et Ayuntamiento Constitucional de Malaga, from which the following are extracts:—­“El ayuntamiento no puede menos de indicar, que entre los infinitos renglones fabriles aclimatados ya en Espana, las sedas de Valencia, los panos de muchas provincias, los hilados de Galicia, las blondas de Cataluna, las bayetas de Antequera, los hierros de Vizcaya y los elaborados por maquinaria en las ferrerias a un lado y otro de esta ciudad, han adelantado, prosperan y compiten con los efectos extranjeros mas acreditados. ?Y han solicitado acaso una prohibicion?  No jamas:  un derecho protector, si; a su sombra se criaron, con la competencia se formaron y llegaron a su robustez....  Ingleterra figura en la exportacion por el mayor valor sin admitir comparacion alguna.  Su gobierno piensa en reducir muy considerablemente todos los renglones de su arancil; pero se ha espresado con reserva para negar o conceder, si lo estima conveniente, esta reduccion a las naciones que no correspondan a los beneficios que les ofrece; ninguno puede esperar que le favorezcan sin compensacion.”

We could have desired, for the pleasure and profit of the public, to extend our notice of, and extracts from, the excellent work of Senor Marliani, so often referred to, but our limits forbid.  To show, however, the state and progress of the cotton manufacture in Catalonia, how little it gains by prohibitions, and how much it is prejudiced by the contraband trade, we beg attention to the following extract:—­

“Since the year 1769, when the cotton manufacture commenced in Catalonia, the trade enjoyed a complete monopoly, not only in Spain, but also in her colonies.  To this protection were added the fostering and united efforts of private individuals.  In 1780, a society for the encouragement of the cotton manufacture was established in Barcelona.  Well, what has been the result?  Let us take the unerring test of figures for our guide.  Let us take the medium importation of raw cotton from